hansen



Aug; 30,1927. 1 ,040,500

R. HANSEN ULCANI ZING APPARATUS Original Filed May 28. 1924 2SheetsSheet 1 Eaymona H0 nso n In van fo Afro/"neg Patented Aug. 30,1927.

RAYMOND HANSEN, F CUDAHY, WISCONS IPANY, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSAGESETTS.

In, nssrenon To THE FISK RUBBER 00M- USETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHILVULCANIZING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 28, 1924, Serial No. 716,426. Renewed February 16,1927.

My invention relates to appartus for vulcanizing hollow rubber or rubberand fabric articles such as pneumatic tire casings, and moreparticularly to the means for supplyinw fluid pressure to the interiorof such articdes or the pneumatic cores upon which they are vulcanized.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved type of manifoldwhich shall permit of quick assembly of the molds, in the vulcanizer andconnection of the individual articles to the manifold. Another object isto provide means of the character referred to which may be quickly andeffectively sealed against leakage of the fluid pressure. Other objectswill be apparent from the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which disclose an illustrative embodimentof my ,invention Figure 1 is a sectional view of a conventionalvulcanizer with a stack of molds in position and showing a" preferredform of my device,

Figure 2 is a detail of the means for applying pressure to the assembledsections, and in Figure 3 is shown one Of the connections inlongitudinal section.

I Referring to the drawings, 1 have illustrated my invention inconnection wlth a conventional type of heater comprising a shell 1, aremovable cover 2, a ram piston 3 and ram table 4;. It will beunderstoodthat the ram is raised and lowered throughthe medium ofhydraulic pressure," and steam is introduced into the shell to vulcanizethe articles in the molds, allin a well known manner.

In posltion on the ram table I have shown a series of molds 5 with tirecasings G-and air bags 7 enclosed therein. The airbags are provided withstems 8 to which the fluid connection may be made. The ram table 4 isprovided with a recess 10 in whichis received a plug 12, which may beprovided with dowel pins 13, if desired, to prevent turning of the plug.The plug 12 is adapted to seal the lower end of a series of tubularsections 14: which as shown in Figure 1 are assembled one upon another.to form a continuous fluid conduit or manifold. As shown in Figure 8these sections comprise a tubular shaped member 16, centrally bored at18, and tapered atone end as shown at 19.

molds are assembled in theheater.

The tapered portion may preferably be provided with rings or projections20. The other end of the section is flared as at 21 and provided with aseat 22, which telescopes onto the tapered portion of the sectionbeneath. A transverse passage 23 connects the passage '18 with aflexible tube 2 1 which is adapted to be connected to the stem 8 of anair bag. v r a V The means for applying endwise pressure to theassembled section-s to render the manifold fluid tight is best shown inFigure 2 and comprises a. yoke 28 secured to the heater cover at 80.Apertured guides 32 are secured in the yoke as at 33. A secondyoke 3A isyieldingly secured to yoke 28 by bolts 86 passing through the horizontalfeet87 of yoke 34 and through guides 32. The bolts 86 are providedat'their lower ends with abutment plates 40, between which and yoke 28springs 42 are positioned. A screw 14:

provided with handwheel A5 supported in a bdwhile the lower end isprovided with a bell seat 56 adapted to engage the tapered K end of theuppermost sectionof the manifoldj Compressed air, or other fluid, issupplied "to conduit 48 by pipe 58, provided at its end with a suitablyapertured block 60 re- 1 cessed to seat on conical head 5% and adaptedto be engaged by screw li, as shown in Figure 2.

The operation is as follows: The ram table 4 is raised to the top of theheater shell and the first mold 5 is slid into position from a suitableconveyor, or otherwise positioned on the table. Plug 12 is then insertedin aperture 10, the ram table 4 is lowered the proper T amount and asecond mold positioned on the preceding mold. A manifold section 14 isnow placed on plug 12 and tube 24 connected to the bag stem 8. Thisoperation is then repeated, the manifold being built up as the When theheater is filled or the desired number of molds have been positioned,cover 2 is applied to the heater, bell 56 engaging the uppermostmanifold-section as shown in Fig ure 1. The cover is secured inpositionin any conventional manner, and theram 3 raised to apply thedesired pressure to the molds engaged between table f and cover 2',which form the press members. Block 60 is now positioned between member54 and screw 44 and the latter lowered by hand- Wheel d5 to seat theblock 60 on member 5d sectional manifold and force them into fluid tightrelation. Compressed air may then be supplied through pipe 58 to inflatethe bags 7 in accordance with well known practice.

When a large number of molds are posir tioned in a single heater and themanifold is: in consequence of substantial length it is desirable toprovide automatic means to compensate for the expansion of the manifoldsections dueto the temperature rise and for this purpose the springs L2are interposed between theaction of screw 44 and the manifold as abovedescribed. The expansion may however be compensated for by subsequentadjustment of the screw, the springs 42. being omitted and screw 44all-owed to act directly on. the column of manifold sections. \Vhereonly a few molds are cured at a time and the expansion is inconsiderableno compensation whatever may be required. It is preferable however tomake-the action of the pressure applying means automatically responsiveto whatever expansion may occurand it will be understood that anysuitable means to this end, may be employed, the specific springarrangement being illustrative only.

7 My sectional manifold above described permits the heater to be quicklyloaded since each connection is made as the mold is positioned, and theparts to be connected are easily accessible. The independent means forapplying sealing pressure to the manifold, entirely apart from thepressure of the ram cylinder prevents possible damageto themanifoldsections, due to excessive pressure, as well as buckling of themanifold and consequent leakage.

It will be understood that the specific form of my invention abovedescribed is illustrative only and I am not lnnited theretor I claim 1.The combination with a vulcanizingmeans adapted to force the sectionsinto fluid tight relation, said means being operable subsequent to. theoperation of the press members.

3. The combination with a vulcanizing press of a sectional manifoldcomprising a series of loosely assembled sections adapted to rest on onemember of the press and independently operated means, associated withthe other press member, adapted to force said sections into fluid tightrelation. and to apply pressure to the units of'"the at. The combinationwith a vulcanizing press of a sectional manifold comprising a serles ofloosely assembled sections, means adapted to connect the severalsections with articles in the. heater, and independent means, associatedwith one of the press members, to force the sections into fluid tight relation.

5. The combination with a vulcaniz'ing press of asectional manifoldcomprising a series of loosely assembled sections and independentlyoperated means, associated with one of, the press members, to force thesections into fluid tight relation, said means adapted to compensate forexpansion of the .manifold sections.

6. The combination with a vulcanizing press of a sectional manifoldcomprising a V series of loosely assembled sections and independentlyoperated means, associated with one of the press members, to force thesec tions into fluid tight relation, said means being yieldable toautomatically compensate for expansion of the manifold sections.

7. In combination a vulcanizing heater adapted to receive a stack oftire molds, a fluid conducting manifold within said heater comprising aseries of tubular units with in terfit-ting ends adapted to supply fluidpressure to the tire molds, and independently operated means associatedwith the cover of said heater adaptedto apply pressure to said units toseal the joints thereof.

8. In combination a vulcanizing heater provided with a movable cover, amovable platen within the heater adapted to receive a-staok of tiremolds, a sectional manifold comprising a series of loosely assembledsections" supported by the platen and independently operated meansassociated with the heater cover for forcing the assembled sections intofluid tight relation.

9.111 combination a vulcanizing heat-er provided wit-h a movable cover,a movable platen within the heater adapted to receive a stack of tiremolds, a sectional manifold comprising a. series of loosely assembledsections supported by the platen and means carried by the heater coverfor yield'ingly forcing the sections into fluid tight relation, saidmeans operating independently of the movement of the platen. 7

10.111 combination a vulcanizing heater provided with. a movable cover,a movable platen within the heater adapted to receive a. stack of tiremolds, a sectional manifold comprising a series of loosely assembledsections. supported by the platen and a screw threaded member carried bythe heater cover for forcing the sections into fluid tight relation.

11. In combination a vulcanizing heater provided with a movable cover, amovable platen within the heater adapted to receive a stack of tiremolds, a sectional manifold comprising a series of loosely assembledsections supported by the platen, a screw threaded member carried by theheater cover for forcing the sections into fluid tight relation and aspring interposed between the said member and the sections to compensatefor expansion of the latter.

12. In a Vulcanizer, the combination with a Vulcanizing tank adapted toreceive a pile of tire moulds, said tank having a detachably fastenedcover whereby access may be had to the interior of the tank, of a fluidconducting tree having sections each corresponding in height to theheight of a tire mould, said sections having fluid tigl'it quickdetachable slip connections, each section haw ing a branch tube adaptedto be detachably connected to a mould and to supply fluid thereto, andmeans carried by the cover to tween the bottom and top of the tank, saidtank having a detachably fastened cover whereby access may be had to theinterior of the tank, the lowermost section of the tree being secured tothe bottom of the tank and the uppermost section thereof being securedto the cover, said sections being tubu lar and joined together end toend with slip joints in sealing engagement, branch tubes eXtendingfr-omthe sections and adapted to be detachably connected to moulds to supplyfluid thereto, means for admitting fluid through the cover to the tree,and means associated with said means for transmitting endwise pressureto the tree to maintain the joints in fluid tight engagement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the above specification.

- RAYMOND HANSEN.

